How Often Should I Change My Cabin Air Filter?

Volkswagen vehicles are built to maximize cabin air quality. Regular filter maintenance is required to keep your Volkswagen’s air quality as high as possible. We’ll cover all the relevant information related to Volkswagen air filters and their replacement below.

Most Volkswagen drivers should change their cabin air filters every year or every 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. Some Volkswagen owners’ manuals dictate that you should change the cabin air filter every year or every 20,000 miles, whichever comes first. If you have allergies or regularly carry passengers, you should change your filters roughly twice as often to keep the air quality as high as possible.

Schedule Air Filter Replacement

Why might I need to change my air filters more often?

If you drive through particularly contaminant-heavy areas, you should swap out your filters more often. Examples of filter lifespan-decreasing regions include heavy industrial zones, places with particularly heavy allergen quantities, areas with high levels of sand or fine dust, places with a lot of loose dirt, zones with many bugs, and extremely leafy areas.

What if I don’t change my Volkswagen’s air filter?

Many unpleasant things will happen if you don’t change the cabin air filter regularly. Initially, there won’t seem to be much of a problem, as you might notice more dirt than usual on the filter. After a while, things will get worse. The cabin air filter will get overwhelmed with buildup, compromising the effectiveness of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

The airflow in the cabin will begin to reduce steadily. Eventually, the flow may cease almost entirely. Before long, the smell of the buildup will begin to permeate the vehicle, starting as a subtle difference but escalating until it becomes an odious stench.

How do I change my Volkswagen’s cabin air filter?

Image via VW.com

This method can vary based on the model year of your Volkswagen, but it will work on Volkswagens that are of the 2018 model year or newer. The bay for the cabin air filter is hidden behind the front passenger glove box. A linkage point is visible on the right side of the box. Pull hard on the base of that linkage until you feel it separate from its mooring.

Then, you should be able to squeeze the locking grips on the top corners of the glove box. This will allow you to pull out the glove box. Three locking tabs hold the cabin air filter in place. Press and release them, pulling the unit outward to unlock the unit. When you release these locking tabs, tip the cover forward so the lower tabs disengage.

At this point, you can take out the old air filter. You should remove loose debris or dust in the cabin air filter containment area. The new air filter you’ll need is covered in your owner’s manual. Ensure the one you get to replace the old unit is the correct model. A filter that’s too large won’t fit properly, and a filter that’s too small will allow air through without filtration. The filter has an airflow direction arrow on it. Make sure that the arrow is pointing down when you install the new filter into the unit housing.

Put the cabin filter housing cover back in place by aligning the bottom with the lower locking tabs, tipping it up, and pressing it against the upper locking tabs until they lock into place. Tip the glove box back up, allowing the upper corner tabs to lock back into position. Finally, reinstall the glove box linkage on the right. Place a few heavy items into the glove box to ensure that it has been properly reinstalled. If it drops, leans, or opens unusually, odds are one of the tabs or linkages didn’t lock into place correctly.

Get your HVAC work done at Volkswagen of Marion

Our service center at Volkswagen of Marion is equipped to handle every HVAC issue your vehicle might encounter. Our attentive and professional service technicians have decades of combined experience handling these issues, so you can be sure the job will be done right when you bring your Volkswagen in for HVAC servicing. Here, we’ll detail all the parts of your Volkswagen that we can service at our service center so you can see just how comprehensive our HVAC services are.

Air conditioning compressor

The air conditioning compressor service involves a refrigerant pump, control valve, air conditioning pressure controller, and computer inspection. We’ll replace any of these components or the related programming if faulty. This service operation takes between one and two hours on average.

Radiator fan and condenser

Whether electrically or hydraulically controlled, the condenser and radiator fan are vital components of any HVAC system. They, like the compressor, are controlled by Volkswagen’s onboard computer. It takes between two and three hours to replace the fan and three to five hours to tackle work related to the condenser. It may be a bit more time-consuming to handle these components, but our service crew can deal with these issues with ease.

Blower fan

The blower fan is the machine that moves air through the HVAC system after it has been cooled or heated. It’s controlled via the console’s climate control panel and run by an electric motor. This unit may fail due to mechanical or electrical issues, so our techs always check both ends of the system. It takes around four hours to replace a blower fan.

Our service center can also handle issues related to the air filter, refrigerant, evaporator, expansion valve, orifice tube, and other HVAC components. When the time comes to service your filter or your system in general, you should schedule a service with us. Keep an eye out for any special deals we offer. All our experienced team members at Volkswagen of Marion are happy to help and waiting for you.